Cameron Brink returns but Aces end Sparks' winning streak

Yahoo

2 days ago

Thirteen months after tearing an anterior cruciate ligament, Sparks forward Cameron Brink made her season debut, stepping onto the court at the 2:39 mark of the first quarter.
Brink looked comfortable despite the long layoff, jumping into the midseason contest intensity with confidence. She was active and competitive throughout, playing 13 minutes and 55 seconds during her return.
'We're thrilled to have her back, and I'm incredibly proud of her," Sparks coach Lynn Roberts said. "She's on a minutes restriction. … I told her that she needs to enjoy the moment. … It's a hard injury to come back from mentally and physically, and she's done it with a smile on her face."
But the night marked the end of the WNBA's longest active winning streak, as the Sparks fell 89-74 to the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.
Read more: Rickea Jackson has career-high 30 points as Sparks get a Commissioner's Cup win over Las Vegas
The Sparks (11‑15) trailed by double digits for most of the game and couldn't recover against the surging Aces (14‑13), who extended their lead to as much as 21 points.
In the third season matchup between the two teams, the Sparks came out a bit hesitant, while the Aces were the aggressors from the tip.
'That was the worst shooting we've had all season," Roberts said. "We've got to be able to defend. It's knowing personnel, it's knowing tendency, it's staying locked into the game plan even when they score the first eight points.'
The Aces leaned on strong starts from Jackie Young and A'ja Wilson, who combined for 34 points in the first half alone.
Wilson finished with 34 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, while Young recorded a triple-double with 18 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.
Read more: Sparks can't stop A'ja Wilson and Aces in Kelsey Plum's return to Las Vegas
Dearica Hamby remained a bright spot for the Sparks, contributing 15 points and six rebounds. Hamby was named WNBA Western Conference player of the week after leading the Sparks to three wins, including a road victory over the defending champion New York Liberty on Saturday.
Kelsey Plum added 22 points, five rebounds, and eight assists in the loss. Brink added five points, including a three-pointer, three rebounds, one block and one steal in 14 minutes of play.
'I was really proud of her," Plum said of Brink. "I told her after the game, 'It's very impressive to come in, make the impact that you did.' ... I think she's gonna continue to just help us a ton."
The Sparks, who had been rolling offensively, were startled by their difficulty scoring.
'We have been so used to making shots and so I think it caught us off guard a little bit,' Roberts said.
The Sparks will look to regroup before playing the Storm in Seattle Friday night.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.